Supporting rack



April 17, 1934. H F, SCHMlD-r 1,954,846

SUPPORTING RACK Filed Jan. l5, 1952 nvenfor E fyi/70 F 5mm/if Cttorneg Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNETE STATES PATE orr'CE Application January 13,

10 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in supporting racks and refers more particularly to a rack or carrier for hats and similar articles.

1t is a general object of this invention to provide an article carrying rack especially adapted for supporting hats and other articles directly beneath the top of an automobile, a closet shelf or in any other suitable location.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rack of the character described in which a hat or similar garment is supported by its brim in an inverted position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a supporting rack of the character described in which the carrier per se is readily movable to and from its operative position to facilitate the placement of hats and other articles thereon.

And a further object of this invention resides in the provision of a rack of the character described which is exceedingly simple in construction and in which its component parts are readily assembled and held in assembled position by a single element which also serves to yieldably hold the vcarrier in its operative position.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear in the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combi,

nation and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing two complete examples of the physical embodiment of this invention are illustrated constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rack embodying this invention and illustrating its manner of use;

Figure 2 is a cross section view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 2 2;

Figure 3 is a cross section view similar to Figure 2 of a slightly modied form of this invention, Vsaid view being taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 4; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like numeralsindicate like parts throughout the several views, it is observed that the supporting rack illustrated in Fig- 1932, Serial N0. 586,305

(Cl. .2H- 32) ures 1 and 2 comprises three elements, namely, the mounting bracket 5, a carrier 6, and a tension spring 7.

The bracket 5 is stamped and formed from a single piece of bendable metal and comprises essentially a pair of spaced side walls 8 connected by a central web 9. The rear marginal edges of the side Walls 3 are directed laterally to provide attaching flanges 16, and it is observed that the plane vof the attaching anges and consequently the rear marginal edges of the side Walls, form an acute angle with the plane of the connecting web, so that when the bracket is secured to a Wall or other supporting surface, a pocket or recess is formed which is open only at its, top

and in which' the spring and its connection with the carrier, to be later described, is located. Y The carrier 6 is preferably formed o1 a single length of sti' wire bent to form two adjacent loops 11 each adapted to receive a hat or similar article as illustrated in Figure l. The formed loops lie in a common plane and their adjacent sides 12 are connected by a transverse reinforcing bar 13 the ends of which are preferably welded to the straight sides l2. These sides l2 extend beyond the straight inner stretch 14 which is common to both loops, and the points of connection of the sides 12 with the transverse portion 14 are preferably welded.

The extended ends 15 of the sides 12, which may be considered mounting arms, overlie the outside surfaces of the side walls and are connected together by a transverse part 16. The transverse part 16 is medially offset to provide spaced trunnions 17 and a central spring engaging part 13. The trunnions 17 are received in open topped recesses or slots 19 formed in the side Walls. f

One end of the spring 7 is anchored to the central web 9, as at 20, and the other end is engaged with the offset transverse part 18, as at 21, the part 18 preferably being indented at its center to: maintain the spring in a central position.

It is noted that the straight stretch 14 of the carrier crosses the bracket beneath the central web 9, and that the olTset 16 connecting the arms 12 is disposed at such an angle with respect to the plane of the carrier per se, that the tension It is also observed that the carrier and bracket are maintained in proper assembled relationship merely by the spring and that the location of the fulcrum for the carrier movement, alforded by the bottom of the recesses 19, is such that as the carrier is swung from its raised or operative position depicted in Figure 1 and shown in full lines in Figure 2, to its lowered inoperative position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, the point of connection 21 of the carrier and spring, moves beyond dead center. Hence the tension on the spring not only holds the carrier in its raised supporting position, but also yieldably holds it in its lowered position defined by the engagement of the transverse part 16 or a portion 'of the spring with the inner wall of the web.

The bracket 5 also may be equipped with a hook 22 which is provided by a reduced extension of the web curved upwardly and outwardly as illustrated.

If the device is mounted in an automobile it is preferably located directly beneath the top and above the right side ofthe windshield, in which position, is out of the direct line of vision of the driver, and hats or other articles supported thereon do not obstruct his View. When so mounted, thehook 22'provides a convenient receptacle for memorandums orr any other small article to be carried.

When the device is mounted in a clothes closet, either on the wall beneath the usual shelf or onv the door, the hook 22 may be used to support coats and other garments.

AAs'hereinbefore stated, the carrier of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 is yieldably held in either raised or lowered position by the spring, and if it is desired to provide a rack which may be yieldabl'y held vin any intermediate position, a

`mo'died construction such as illustrated in'Figuresandli may be employed.

"In this instance, the wire arms 12' are not connected to'each other, but are secured in the opposite end portions of a'transverse stub shaftl 23 of Vsubstantial diameter. This shaft has an annulargrooveZ/i Vadjacent"eachend portion inwardly of 'the arms 12 to receive the opposite marginal edges of recesses 25 formed in the oppositeside walls'S' of the bracket. In this mannerthe shaft 23 is held against longitudinal` shifting with respect to the bracket, and it is noted th'at'the recesses V25 are'suiciently deep to permit the cylindrical surfaceof the shaft to engage the transverse web 9.

A friction clip 26 engages over the intermediate portion of the shaft and has a flange 27 whereby it is secured to the web'9 by a screw 28. With the screw 28 drawn down tight the clip in co-'actionv with the web 9" affords suiiicient `friction to hold the shaft and consequently the carrier in any position of adjustment.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art whereby the article support is free to swing about an axis adjacent the bottom of the recess, and a spring engaged with the article support for yieldably holding the article support in either of two predetermined positions and for detachably maintaining said part engaged in the recess.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a mounting member formed of bendable metal and having spaced side walls connected by a central web, the side walls and connecting web forming a pocket open at its top and the side walls having aligned recesses open at their tops, means for attaching the mounting bracket to a support, a formed wire article carrier having a transverse part extending across the space between the side walls of the mounting bracket with portions thereof received in said recesses, and

means connected with a portion of the mounting bracket and said transverse part for yieldably maintaining the formed wire article carrier in a raised operative position and for detachably holding said portions of the transverse part in the recesses.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a mounting member formed of a single piece of bendable metal and having connected spaced side walls provided with recesses open at their tops, a formed wire article supporting frame havingspaced arms lying adjacent the outer surfaces of the side walls, a transverse part connecting said arms and pivotally engaged in said aligned recesses, and means connected with the mounting bracket and said transverse part for detachably retaining the same engaged with the recesses and for yieldably holding the article supporting frame in a raised operative position.

e. A device of the character described, comprising a mountingv member having spaced side walls provided with aligned open topped recesses and a front wall connecting the side walls, a formed wire article carrier having spaced arms overlying theouter surfaces of theside walls,

a transverse part connecting the end portions of said arms, said transverse part being readily detachably engaged in the aligned open topped recesses to mount the article carrier for swinging movement to and from a raised operative position, spring means anchoredto the connecting lthe 'movementof the carrier by the spring means.

5. 'A device of the'character described, comprising a mounting member having connected spaced side walls'provided with aligned recesses,

a'formedwirearticle carrier having spaced arms overlying the outerY surfaces ofthe sidewallsand a transverse part connecting the extremities of Ythe arms, said transverse part being offset atV its medial portionandl having its side portions adjacent the arms engaged in the recesses to mount the formed 'wire' article carrier for swinging movement to and froma raised operative position, andspring means anchored to a portion of the mounting bracket 'and' the offset medial portion of the transversepart to tend to swing the article carrier about the axis of its mounting in the recesses to said raised operative position and to yieldably maintain said side portions of .its transverse part engaged in the recesses.

6. A device of the. character described, comprising a mounting bracket having connected spaced side Walls which together With their connecting means, form substantially an enclosed pocket, said side Walls having recesses, a formed Wire article carrier having spaced arms overlying the outer surfaces of the side Walls, a transverse element connecting the arms and having its medial portion oiset from its ends and its ends in alignment to form trunnions engageable in the recesses to mount the article carrier for swinging movement to and from a raised operative position, and a contractile spring anchored to a portion of the mounting bracket and connected with the oiset medial portion of the transverse part to yieldably urge the article carrier about the axis or its trunnions to said raised operative position, said contractile spring and transverse part being substantially concealed within the pocket afforded by the mounting bracket.

7. A device of the character described comprising a mounting bracket having connected spaced side walls provided with aligned recesses, a formed wire article carrier having a plurality of loops to receive articles, spaced arms extended from the carrier to overlie the outer surfaces of the side walls, a transverse member offset at its medial portion and connecting the spaced arms with its end portions in axial alignment and affording trunnions which are engaged in the recesses to mount the article carrier for swinging movement to and from a raised supporting position, and a spring anchored to a portion of the mounting member and connected with the offset medial portion to yieldably urge the carrier to sad raised operative position.

8. A device of the character described comprising a mounting bracket having connected spaced side walls provided With aligned recesses, a formed wire article carrier having a plurality of loops to receive articles, spaced arms extended from the carrier to overlie the outer surfaces of the side Walls, a transverse member connecting said spaced arms and having its medial portion offset and its end portions in axial alignment to provide trunnions engaged in the recesses to mount the article carrier for swinging movement to and from a raised supporting position, and a spring anchored to a portion of the mounting member and connected with the offset medial portion. said medial offset portion of the transverse part being so located with respect to the axis of the trunnions that the point of connection of the spring therewith moves beyond dead center during swinging movement of the article carrier, whereby the spring yieldably holds the article carrier in raised operative position and in a lowered inoperative position.

9. A device of the character described comprising a mounting member having connected spaced side walls providedwith aligned recesses, an article carrier, spaced arms on the carrier overlying the outer surfaces of the side Walls, a transverse member connecting the spaced arms and having parts received in the aligned recesses, and a friction member embracing the transverse member and connected with the mounting bracket to rictionally hold the article carrier in different positions of adjustment and to detachably hold the transverse member in the recesses.

10. A device of the character described, comprising, a substantially hollow mounting bracket attachable to a support, a formed Wire article carrier having spaced arms at opposite sides of the mounting bracket, a transverse element connecting the spaced arms and hingedly mounting the carrier from the mounting bracket With a portion thereof Within the hollow mounting bracket, spring means within the hollow mounting bracket connected with said transverse element and yieldably tending to swing the carrier about its hinged mounting, and a second transverse element connected with the spaced arms and positioned exteriorly of the hollow bracket to engage a portion thereof and limit the movement of the carrier by the spring.

HUGO F. SCHMIDT. 

